Sad Mascots: This Canadian photography project looks under the bunny suit of Russian capitalism
Canadian photographer Joel Koczwarski is our guide to Moscow's art under oppression
Born in Canada and raised in six countries, photographer Joel Koczwarski is now living in Moscow, where he's our Canadian guide to the city's art under oppression in this week's premiere of Interrupt This Program.
Koczwarski's Sad Mascots project looks at modern Russian capitalist society through an unfiltered lens. For him, the glimpse of sad human faces, just trying to make a living, under the mascot costumes are a potent symbol of "late modern capitalism in Moscow."
Coming from a Canadian perspective, you expect a mascot to be overly happy, overly enthusiastic.- Joel Koczwarski, photographer
Art as political protest, as a means of survival, as an agent of change, as a display of courage and delight. Interrupt This Program explores art in cities under pressure.
Season 2 begins in Moscow on Feb. 5 at 9pm (9:30pm NT).
Watch Season 1 now streaming online with episodes from Beirut, Kiev, Port-au-Prince, Medellín and Athens.